Compressed layered roll package and associated method

ABSTRACT

A package and a method for packaging one or more rolls of material are provided. The package includes a tray defining at least one cavity and at least one compressed roll of material positioned within a respective cavity. The package also includes a lid attached to a surface of the tray covering the cavity to define an enclosed volume and to enclose the at least one compressed roll within the enclosed volume.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to compressed rolls of wound material and,more particularly, to a package for storing compressed rolls in acompressed form.

2) Description of Related Art

The distribution of rolled paper products represents a multibilliondollar industry in the United States with one of the largest segmentsrepresented by the toilet or tissue paper segment, as well as the papertowel or kitchen towel market. The process by which both tissue andtowels are made can be broken-up into two general steps. The first stepinvolves the creation of the paper base sheet from pulp, while thesecond step involves converting the base sheet (from a large jumbo roll)to finished smaller roll products. While tissue is designed to be softand degrade in septic tanks, kitchen towels are designed to be muchstronger for use in absorbing spills, for use as placemats, and forcleaning.

Tissue and towels are generally made using multiple layers of basesheet. Tissue tends to have minimal glue between the layers, andgenerally at selected spots, while the individual plies in paper towelsare generally adhered across their entire surface area. Both tissue andpaper towels are embossed to create patterns which also help instrengthening the paper. The pulp drying process plays a significantrole in the creation of the end product, with through air drying (TAD)producing the softest paper. Papers made using the TAD process are usedto form the highest quality tissue and towel papers.

The converting machines used in the second step of the process formaking both tissue and towels incorporate unwinders, embossers,rewinders, core handlers, gluers, accumulators, and log saws. Currently,these machines can produce as many as 1000 rolls of toilet paper or 400rolls of paper towels per minute. Additional steps of wrapping, packing,and case packing are done after the log saw and are generally connectedto the converting operation via conveyors.

The sales of rolled paper products occur through retail stores, bulkdiscount stores, and more industrial “away from home” markets. One ofthe major difficulties for retailers involves the disposal of boxes andother packaging used to ship the finished rolls. The inherent bulkinessof rolled paper products also requires stores to order on-demand, withthe overall cycle from production to sale occurring over several days(e.g., a 45 day period). Bulkiness also limits the ability ofmanufacturers to set-up production facilities far from end-users, astransportation of the finished goods can be cost-prohibitive. Forend-users, the purchase, transport, and storage of tissue and towelsalso prove difficult because of the large inherent volume.

Furthermore, tissue and towels typically include an inner core fordispensing individual rolls. The central core of tissue and towels isgenerally made of paper and is difficult to collapse without causingsignificant distortion and separation from the sheet. This is due to theamount of adhesive applied to the paper when attached to the core, aswell as the type of adhesive used in forming the core. Additionalinnovations in the resiliency and fabrication of the core is needed.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a package that is capableof storing compressed rolls of material. In addition, it would beadvantageous to provide a package that is economical and effectivelystores the rolls of material in a compressed form, as well as a packagethat facilitates individual dispensing of individual rolls. Furthermore,it would be advantageous to provide a core for the compressed roll ofmaterial that is capable of collapsing and expanding without significantdistortion of the core and/or compressed roll.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention address the above needs and achieve otheradvantages by providing a package for storing compressed rolls ofmaterial. The compressed rolls of material are stored within a tray andsealed under vacuum with a lid, such as a film. Thus, the packagereduces the inherent bulkiness associated with conventional packages,which facilitates the storage and transport of the package. Furthermore,a method for forming the package may be employed that includescompressing the rolls of material and sealing the rolls withinrespective cavities defined in a tray. The compressed rolls may besealed under vacuum such that the rolls are maintained in theircompressed state.

In one embodiment of the present invention a package is provided andincludes a tray defining at least one cavity, as well as at least onecompressed roll of material (e.g., a paper roll) positioned within arespective cavity. The package also includes a lid attached to a surfaceof the tray covering the cavity to define an enclosed volume and toenclose the at least one compressed roll within the enclosed volume.

In various aspects of the package, the package includes a corepositioned within the compressed roll. The core could be paper, foam,metallic, elastomeric, and/or thermoplastic materials, or the core couldbe a polymer core having a strain relief area. In addition, the core mayinclude a plurality of layers of paper, and an elastomeric adhesive maybe applied between respective layers of paper. The package could includea supplemental core attached to the tray.

Further variations of the package provide a tray having a handle definedtherein. The tray may be a thermoformable material and may include aplurality of cavities defined therein. At least one compressed roll ofmaterial could be positioned within each of the cavities. Furthermore,the tray may include lines of weakening between respective cavities suchthat each cavity is capable of being separated from the tray alongrespective lines of weakening. Similarly, the lid may include lines ofweakening such that at least a portion of the lid may be removed fromthe tray to expose at least one of the cavities. The lid could includelines of weakening proximate to each cavity such that each roll may beremoved from a respective cavity without affecting the compression andpressure of the rolls within the remaining cavities. The bond betweenthe lid and the tray may have a peel strength to the tray of less thanabout 0.5 to 4 pounds/inch such that the lid is peelable from the tray.The tray may include a greater bending stiffness than the lid. Thepressure within the enclosed volume may be less than the pressureoutside of the enclosed volume, and one or more cavities may bepartially evacuated such that the pressure within the package issub-atmospheric.

The present invention also provides a method for packaging one or morerolls of material. The method includes providing a tray defining atleast one cavity and compressing at least one roll of wound material.The method further includes positioning the compressed roll of materialwithin a respective cavity, and sealing the compressed roll of materialwithin the cavity by attaching a lid to a surface of the tray coveringthe at least one cavity.

In various aspects of the method, the method includes cutting a log ofrolled material into a plurality of rolls. The positioning step mayinclude positioning each of the compressed rolls of material within arespective cavity. The method may also include providing a tray defininga plurality of cavities, as well as forming lines of weakening in thetray between respective cavities such that each cavity is capable ofbeing separated from the tray along respective lines of weakening. Themethod could further include forming a sheet of material into a traydefining at least one cavity. The providing step could also includeproviding a tray having a handle. Moreover, the method may includeforming lines of weakening in a portion of the lid such that at least aportion of the lid is removable to expose a compressed roll of woundmaterial positioned within a respective cavity. In addition, the methodcould include forming lines of weakening in the lid proximate to eachcavity such that each roll may be removed from a respective cavitywithout affecting the compression of the rolls within the remainingcavities.

Additional aspects of the method include compressing the roll of woundmaterial with a platen. The method may include compressing the roll ofwound material radially, while the compressing and positioning steps mayoccur approximately simultaneously. The method may further include thestep of reducing the pressure within the at least one cavity beforesealing the lid to the tray, and/or compressing the roll below thesurface of the tray prior to sealing the lid to the surface of the tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c are isometric views generally illustrating thesequence of packaging rolls of material with a tray and a lid accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a compressible core according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a compressible core attached to thepackage of FIG. 1 c according to an additional embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the process for manufacturing the packageof FIG. 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the compression process shown inFIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of FIG. 4 illustrating theconveyors moving rolls of material from a cutoff saw to a vacuum packingarea.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not allembodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legalrequirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Referring now to the drawings and, in particular to FIGS. 1 a-1 c, thereis shown a package 10 including a plurality of rolls of material 11disposed therein. In particular, the package 10 includes a tray 12having a plurality of cavities 13. As shown in FIG. 1 b, the rolls 11may be compressed and are capable of being positioned within arespective cavity 13. The tray 12 may be sealed with a lid 15 such thatthe rolls 11 are maintained in a compressed configuration whilepositioned within the cavities 13.

As used herein, the term “package” is not meant to be limiting as thepackage could be any enclosure capable of storing compressed rollstherein. Thus, the package could be any suitable tray and lidcombination that is capable of storing one or more compressed rolls ofmaterial. Furthermore, the term “roll” is not meant to be limiting, asthe rolls may include various wound materials that are capable of beingcompressed. For example, the roll could be a paper, tissue, towel, orfoam material wound about a core. The roll of material may be compressedinto various shapes, but would typically be compressed radially (i.e.,perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the core), as will beexplained in further detail below.

The distortion of the roll 11 once the package is opened and the roll isuncompressed can be appreciable. Through Air Dried tissue with anapproximate density of 0.02 lbs/in³ compressed by 30% of its originalvolume, performs well and can be easily reshaped. However, the rolls 11may be various materials and densities if desired. For example, the roll11 could be compressed between 20-70% of its original volume.

The tray 12 may comprise one or more thermoformable materials such asone or more thermoplastic (e.g., one or more of polyethylene homo- orco-polymers and polypropylene homo- or co-polymers. The tray 12 maydefine one or more cavities 13 defined therein. Each cavity 13 is sizedand configured to receive a respective roll of material 11, and eachcavity is separated from adjacent cavities by a divider or boundary 14for separating individual rolls. As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, eachcavity 13 includes a rectangular cross section such that a roll ofmaterial 11 that is compressed may be positioned therein. Furthermore,the tray 12 may also include a handle 16 that is formed in one end ofthe tray. Thus, the handle 16 may be integrally formed in the tray 12 orseparately attached thereto and be used to carry the package 10. Thehandle 16 could be an aperture extending completely through a portion ofthe tray 12, or a recess or the like formed in the tray, and could beformed at various locations on the tray. In addition, the tray 12 couldinclude a hanging rack hole (not shown) formed therein such that thepackage 10 may be placed on hanging racks, such as for retail.

The lid 15 may comprise a film that is sealed to the tray 12. The lid 15may be sealed at least about the outer periphery of the tray 12 and mayalso be sealed along boundaries 14 defining individual cavities 13.Thus, the lid 15 could be a single sheet of material that seals all ofthe cavities 13. Alternatively, individual lids 15 could be sealed torespective cavities 13 if desired. Various techniques may be employed toseal the lid 15 to the tray 12, such as with an adhesive or by heatsealing. The lid 15 may be permanently affixed or peelable from the tray12. For example, the peel strength between the lid 15 and tray 12 may beabout 0.5 to 4.5 pounds/inch such that at least a portion of the lid ispeelable from the tray. The peel strength is measured in accordance withASTM F88-94. For further discussion of peel strength, see U.S. Pat. No.6,630,237 to Rivett et al., entitled “Peelably Sealed Packaging, whichis incorporated herein by reference.

The lid 15 may be sealed to the tray 12 to not only maintain individualrolls 11 within respective cavities 13, but also to help maintain avacuum that is provided within the cavities. Although the seal betweenthe lid 15 and tray 12 may be airtight, generally the seal between thelid and tray is capable of maintaining the pressure within the cavities13 below atmospheric pressure. For example, the air pressure inside thepackage 10 may be at least about, and/or at most about any of thefollowing: 14, 13, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 5 psia. In addition, the pressuredifferential between the external pressure and the internal pressurewithin the closed chamber may be at most about, and/or at least aboutany of the following, for example: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10psia. Furthermore, the pressure inside of the of the enclosed cavities13 may be less than the pressure outside of the cavities (e.g., 14.7psia) for at least about any of the following number of days: 30, 40,50, 60, 90, 120, and 180 days. In an additional embodiment of thepresent invention, the pressure inside of the package 10 may less thanthe pressure outside of the package at least momentarily. Additionally,the volume of the cavities 13 may at least partially collapse over time(e.g., 1, 2, 12, and 24 hours) as the inherent counterforce of the rolls11 against the lid 15 and tray 12 equilibrates.

The lid 15 may include one or more lines of weakening 17 (e.g., lines ofa plurality of perforations or lines of scoring) such that individualcavities 13 can be opened along the lines of weakening without openingadjacent cavities. Thus, individual rolls 11 may be removed withoutaffecting the compression of adjacent rolls. In other words, theremaining unopened cavities 13 remain closed, compressed, and undervacuum such that the rolls are also remain protected from contaminants.The lines of weakening 17 may be located along one or more edges orboundaries 14 about the periphery of the tray 12 or between each cavity13, or at any other desired location such that a roll 11 is capable ofbeing accessed and removed via the lines of weakening. In addition oralternatively, the package 10 may include lines of weakening extendingbetween each cavity 13. Lines of weakening between cavities 13 allowsfor the separation of individual cavities from adjacent cavities.

The tray 12 and lid 15 can be various sizes, configurations, andmaterials in various aspects of the present invention. For instance, thetray 12 and lid 15 could be a thin flexible film or a thick andsubstantially inflexible material, but are generally capable ofwithstanding a vacuum that is drawn from the tray. For example, the tray12 and lid 15 could be any of the following thicknesses: 0.25, 0.5, 1,2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 20 mils. Generally, the tray 12 includes agreater bending stiffness than the lid 15 to provide support andfacilitate transport and storage of the packages 10. Moreover, althoughFIGS. 1 a-1 c illustrate a tray 12 having four cavities 13, the tray mayinclude one or more cavities. In addition, although the tray 12 andcavities 13 are illustrated as having a rectangular cross section, thetray and/or cavities could be various cross sections, such as a squareor circle, and could be capable of receiving compressed rolls 11.

Furthermore, each of the tray 12 and lid 15 can include one or morebarrier resins to reduce the air (i.e., oxygen) permeation rate throughthe tray and lid. For example, the tray 12 and lid 15 could includeethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer (“EVOH”), polyvinyl alcohol (“PVOH”),vinylidene chloride polymers (“PVdC”), polyalkylene carbonate, polyester(e.g., PET, PEN), polyacrylonitrile (“PAN”), and polyamide. The tray 12and lid 15 may include various amounts of barrier resins such as, forexample, 50%. For a more detailed discussion of barrier resins, see U.S.Pat. No. 6,769,227 to Mumpower et al., entitled “Package Including aLidstock Laminate,” which is incorporated herein by reference. The tray12 and lid 15 could also be metallized or include a foil laminate todecrease the air permeation rate.

Each roll of material 11 is wound about a respective core 19. The core19 is typically cylindrical having a hole defined along its longitudinalaxis, where the hole may receive a spindle of a dispenser or othermechanism for facilitating unrolling of the roll 11. The core 19 couldbe various materials such as a paper, foam, metallic, elastomeric, orthermoplastic material. The core 19 is capable of being compressed, aswell as expanding when the lid 15 is removed from the tray 12. Anexternal force, such as pushing radially on the roll 11, may be requiredto aid in expanding the core 19 to its original shape or near originalshape. However, the core 19 may experience some distortion during thecompression and expansion of the roll 11.

FIG. 2 illustrates a modified extruded plastic core 19 with a strainrelief area 28 designed to store the energy during collapse of thetissue core in direction 29. The strain relief area 28 extends parallelto the longitudinal axis of the core 19 and provides a flexible hingefor facilitating compression of the core. For example, the strain reliefarea 28 could be made by extruding a hinge along the inner wall of thecore, where the hinge comprises a small flexible section of plastic witha “V” notch located at its bending point such that the hinge may bendabout the “V” notch. In addition, paper cores including a plurality oflayers of paper secured together with elastomeric adhesives may beemployed to prevent disintegration or peeling when compressing the rolls11 and cores 19. Moreover, the core 19 could be configured toself-expand to its original shape or near original shape without anyexternal force.

While replacement of the core 19 with a more compressible energy-storingcore is possible, it is typically not practical to do so. Instead, amodified insertion core can be provided as an adjunct to the package.For example, FIG. 3 shows the attachment of an extra core 19′ to thepackage 10 to form a package 30. The extra core 19′ is provided to allowconsumers to either replace the core currently positioned within theroll 11, or position the core within the existing core to maintainconsistent rolling characteristics in a dispenser. In one embodiment ofthe present invention, an additional cavity may be formed in the tray 12for accommodating the core 19′. Furthermore, although the core 19 andextra core 19′ are typically hollow, the core could be solid in order toachieve a desired resiliency and/or to provide additional support for aparticular material.

FIG. 1 a illustrates rolls of material 11 placed above a thermoformedtray 12 with corresponding cavities 13 and an integrated handle 16. Therolls 11 are compressed into the form shown in FIG. 1 b and positionedinto cavities 13. The rolls 11 are shown as having a rectangular crosssection; however, the rolls could be compressed to various crosssections (e.g., oval) depending on the type of material or the amountand/or direction of the compressive force on the roll. The process ofcompressing the rolls 11 can be done outside or inside of the cavity 13and, in some cases, may be used to create the shape of the cavity 13. Alid 15 is secured to the outer edges 18 of the tray 12 forming thecompleted package 10. Upon removal of the lid 15, the roll 11 may expandoutwardly to its original shape or to a shape that includes somedistortion due to the compression of the roll and core 19.

Moreover, sequential cavities 13 can be formed, filled, and sealed toproduce a completed cluster of compressed rolls 11 stored within thepackage 10. Filling of the cavity 13 with a compressed roll 11 may beperformed in such a manner to prevent the roll from expanding past theopen top end of the cavity. The roll 11 may be compressed to a greaterdegree than required due to the fact that the roll may expand towardsits original shape before the roll is sealed within a cavity 13.Therefore, during the time the roll 11 expands to the open top end, thetop end may be sealed with the lid 15 while the pressure is reduced.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate one embodiment of the present invention,which provides a production system for forming and filling the packagein the sequence described in FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c. The production ofthe package 10 is typically situated immediately after a log cutter 50that slices tissue logs 24 into individual rolls, and the rolls 11 aretransported in groups 31 via a conveyor 25 to a station 22 forcompressing the rolls within respective packages. Base tray material 60is unwound from roll 61 and formed at station 21 into trays 12.Individual cavities 13 are formed within each tray, and a handle 16 mayalso be formed therein if desired. The rolls 11 are compressed in group31 at station 22 by a platen 40 and forced into cavities 13. A top layer26 (i.e., lid 15) is sealed to the tray 12 at station 23 while the rolls11 are compressed and air is evacuated from the cavities 13. Station 23may also print, cut, and perforate both the top layer 26, as well as thetray base material 60 between cavities 13. In some cases, station 27applies a supplementary core 41 to the package 10 to form the package30. The package 10 or 30 exits at area 70. Transport of the finishedpackages 10 or 30 can be done directly on a pallet without the need foradditional boxes or cartons and further avoiding additional wrapping.Multiple assemblies of packages 10 or 30 can also be bundled into groupsand shrink wrapped. The production system may comprise a thermoformingmachine that may produce at least about 500 cavities/minute, or theproduction system may comprise a plurality of thermoforming machines tomeet the desired production rate.

Various processes or techniques may be employed to form the packages 10and 30. For example, the rolls 11 could be compressed with the platen 40before positioning the rolls within respective cavities 13 (FIG. 5), orstations 21 and 22 (FIGS. 4 and 5) could be combined into a singleoperation such that compressing the rolls while positioned on the traybase material 60 also forms individual cavities. Furthermore, rolls 11may be cut, compressed, and/or sealed individually rather than as agroup 31. Trays 12 may be formed using various processes such asthermoforming or injection molding. Moreover, additional processes maybe employed such as a converting process for making rolls of tissue ortowels.

The present invention may provide one or more advantages. For example,the package 10 stores compressed rolls of wound material, such as rolledtissue and towels, which significantly reduces the inherent bulk ofthese products and facilitates the purchase, transport, and storage ofthe rolls. Thus, packages are aesthetically pleasing, and the amount ofpackaging required to ship the rolls of material from a manufacturingfacility to a retailer is reduced. The packages may be formedconsistently into regular shapes such that handling and storage of thepackages, such as by stacking multiple packages, is improved. Inaddition, the process for packaging the compressed rolls of material maybe integrated with current manufacturing processes generally used tomake rolls of material. Moreover, the package can maintain thecompressed rolls in a compressed state without bulging, and eachcompressed roll may be stored within individual cavities defined in thetray. The package may provide for individual opening of sequentialcavities of the package, as well as the separation of a cavity from thetray itself. When removed from the tray, the compressed rolls ofmaterial and/or core may expand to a usable form. The core may bespecifically configured to collapse and expand between compressed anduncompressed positions, which reduces the incidence of damage to thecore and/or roll of material.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theinvention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A package comprising: a tray defining at least one cavity; at leastone compressed roll of material positioned within a respective cavity;and a lid attached to a surface of the tray covering the at least onecavity to define an enclosed volume and to enclose the at least onecompressed roll within the enclosed volume.
 2. The package according toclaim 1, wherein the compressed roll of material comprises a paper roll.3. The package according to claim 1, further comprising a corepositioned within the compressed roll.
 4. The package according to claim3, wherein the core comprises one or more of paper, foam, metallic,elastomeric, and thermoplastic materials.
 5. The package according toclaim 3, wherein the core comprises a polymer core having a strainrelief area.
 6. The package according to claim 3, wherein the corecomprises a plurality of layers of paper, and wherein an elastomericadhesive is applied between respective layers of paper.
 7. The packageaccording to claim 1, further comprising a supplemental core attached tothe tray.
 8. The package according to claim 1, wherein the traycomprises a handle defined therein.
 9. The package according to claim 1,wherein the tray comprises a thermoformable material.
 10. The packageaccording to claim 1, wherein the lid has a peel strength to the tray ofless than about 0.5 to 4 pounds/inch.
 11. The package according to claim1, wherein the tray comprises a plurality of cavities defined therein.12. The package according to claim 11, wherein at least one compressedroll of material is positioned within each of the plurality of cavities.13. The package according to claim 11, wherein the tray comprises linesof weakening between respective cavities such that each cavity iscapable of being separated from the tray along respective lines ofweakening.
 14. The package according to claim 11, wherein the lidcomprises lines of weakening such that at least a portion of the lid maybe removed from the tray to expose at least one of the cavities.
 15. Thepackage according to claim 14, wherein the lid comprises lines ofweakening proximate to each cavity such that each roll may be removedfrom a respective cavity without affecting the compression and pressureof the rolls within the remaining cavities.
 16. The package according toclaim 1, wherein a pressure within the enclosed volume is less than apressure outside of the enclosed volume.
 17. The package according toclaim 16, wherein the at least one cavity is partially evacuated suchthat the pressure within the package is sub-atmospheric.
 18. The packageaccording to claim 1, wherein the tray includes a greater bendingstiffness than the lid.
 19. A method for packaging one or more rolls ofmaterial comprising: providing a tray defining at least one cavity;compressing at least one roll of wound material; positioning thecompressed roll of material within a respective cavity; and sealing thecompressed roll of material within the cavity by attaching a lid to asurface of the tray covering the at least one cavity.
 20. The methodaccording to claim 19, further comprising cutting a log of rolledmaterial into a plurality of rolls.
 21. The method according to claim20, wherein positioning comprises positioning each of a plurality ofcompressed rolls of material within a respective cavity.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 19, wherein providing comprises providing a traydefining a plurality of cavities.
 23. The method according to claim 22,further comprising forming lines of weakening in the tray betweenrespective cavities such that each cavity is capable of being separatedfrom the tray along respective lines of weakening.
 24. The methodaccording to claim 19, further comprises forming lines of weakening in aportion of the lid such that at least a portion of the lid is removableto expose a compressed roll of wound material positioned within arespective cavity.
 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein formingcomprises forming lines of weakening in the lid proximate to each cavitysuch that each roll may be removed from a respective cavity withoutaffecting the compression of the rolls within the remaining cavities.26. The method according to claim 19, wherein compressing comprisescompressing the roll of wound material with a platen.
 27. The methodaccording to claim 19, wherein compressing comprises compressing theroll of wound material radially.
 28. The method according to claim 19,wherein the compressing and positioning steps occur approximatelysimultaneously.
 29. The method according to claim 19, further comprisingreducing the pressure within the at least one cavity before enclosingthe at least one cavity with the lid.
 30. The method according to claim19, wherein providing comprises providing a tray comprising a handle.31. The method according to claim 19, further comprising forming a sheetof material into a tray defining at least one cavity.
 32. The methodaccording to claim 19, further comprising compressing the roll below thesurface of the tray prior to sealing the lid to the surface of the tray.